Electric thermo-regulator



E. H. RUEDIGEH. ELECTRIC THERMO REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR.2B, 1920.

Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

F aw u I II T 7 m .2-2.: m J ff/ffwrffl ,IW/,w/rwwwww411;: 121 CWV Wmnufr/fll Ww M 1 A TTORNEY.

unirse stares wat :i

PATlill/lllai ELECTRIC TEER-IvIQ-REG'ULATOR.

Speccation of Letters lfatent.

Patented Nov. 29, QZL

Application filed pril g8, 1920. Serial No. 377,313.

To @ZZ whom t may concern Be it wn that v Enunsr l-l. RUEDIGER, a citizen ol' the nited States, residing at Bismarck, in the county of urleigh and State of North Bair have invented certain new and useful mprovements in Electric Thermo-Regulators, of which the following` is a specification.

llhis invention relates to a thermally controlled circuit closing device.

rlhe object or" the invention is to provide a thermo-regulator of the type in which a circuit is closed by the nsion or contraction ol' a liquid contained therein ada I'ed to respond to slight variations in temperature and to he readily and accurately adjusted to close the circuit at didere temperatures.

.another object is to provide a device of this character in whicha float is operated by the liquid to permit the circuit closing means to he actuated at varying temperatures.

Another object of the invention is to produce a thermostatic circuit closer provided with means for displacing a fluid, preterably mercury, or to cause the .tluid to occupy a minimum space witl the casing2 whereby the circuit closer may .be caused to operate at various cegree oi temperature.

Another object oi' the invention 1s to provide a circuit closer of this character wherein a float is actuated by the fluid to permit the circuit closed to he operated `at various degrees of temperature. l u

With the foregoing and other objects. in view, which will appear as the descr1pt1on proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment ot the invention herein disclosed may he made within the scope of what is claimed without departing,- from the spirit of the 1nvention.

The accompanying drawing` represents a. vertical section of a thermostatic closer constructed in accordance with this invention,

In the embodiment illustrated a cylindrical casing or tube 1 is shown, preferably constructed of an inner member 2 ot iron or other material which will not be adected by mercury or which will not atleet the mercury. This inner casing 2 is preferably surrounded by an outer casing 3 which will prevent the iron from rusting` and ot an ornamental character.

The oasings 2 and 3 are provided at their open ends with outwardly projecting annular flanges and 5, which are designed to support a flange 7 of a vplug` 6 oli ber or other insulating material which is inserted in the open end ot the shell and is secured thereto by fastening elements 8 passing` through the iianges and 5 and into iiange 7.

This liber plug 6 conforms in shape to the shell in which it is mounted and has a bore 9 extending centrally and longitudinally therethrough. 'The inner end or' this plug has a cone-shaoed recess 10 merging at its apex or inner end into the here 9 and which is designed for a purpose hereinafter to be described,

rlhe plug 6 also has a longiuditnal passa-ge 11 extending therethrough parallel with the bore 9 and which is designed to rec ive an adjustable bar or rod 12. rllhis rod 12 is provided at its outer end with a head 13 'to form a linger grip to facilitate the adjustment of the rod which is held in adjusted position by a set screw 1&1-, passing` through the flange 7 ot the plug and binding on the rod 12.

lThe shell 1 is designed to contain mercury or other suitable liquid and has a float 16 mounted to move vertically in the bore 9 so that when the fluid level in said bore raises or lowers the float will be shifted either upwardly or downwardly and the cone-shaped recess 10 at the lower end of the plug` will operate to cause a relatively small move` ment or" the liquid within the lower portion of the shell to produce a considerably greater movement oi' the liquid within the bore 9, the walls ol the said recess 10 operating to direct tie uid up into the bore.

A stem or shanlr l? extends upwardly from the float 16 and is pivoted to a lever 18 intermediate Aits ends. This lever 1S is fulcrumed at one end to a standard 19, which rises from the outer tace or" plug 6.

A binding post 2O in the form of an l,- shaped bracket secured to the 7 oi the plug 6 is arranged in the path of movement or the tree end or" lever 18 with which one wire oi' an electric circuit is connected, the other wire being connected with the binding post 20.

From the ahove description it will be obwhich may be vious that when the float 16 moves downwardly, which will be caused by the contraction orn the Huid 15, the lever 18 will contact with the binding post 20, thereby closing the electric circuit which may be connected to sound an alarm or to control any other device. lhen the fluid level within the bore 9 rises the float 16 will rise and thus swing the lever 18, which constitutes one member of aswitch, out or" engagement with the binding post 2O and thereby break the circuit.

It will be understood that the change in level of the Huid 15 will be caused by changes in temperature surrounding it, that is when the temperature rises, the duid will expand and move upward in the bore 9 to break the circuit and when it lowers the iluid will contract and the float will be lowered correspondingly to close the circuit.

The adjustable rod 12 is designed to displace a greater or less amount of the fluid 15 so as' to cause a corresponding adjustment of the normal level of said'tluid in thebore 9.

It will thus be seen that when the rod 12 is moved downwardly into the shell, a certain amount of uid 15 will be displaced thereby which will rise into the bore 9 and when this rod is raised the fluid in the bore will move downwardly to take the position occupied formerly by Vthe rod thereby lowering the level of the fluid in bore 9. rlhis change in the level of the fluid in bore 9 is designed for controlling the closing of the switch to adapt it to be closed at any desired temperature.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the 'construction and the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains and while I have described the principle of operation of the in- Vvention together with the device which I Y that such changes may be made asl are within the scope of the claimed invention.

TWhat is claimedis 1. ln a device of the class described, the combination of a shell having an expansible liquid therein, an insulating plug carried by said shell and having a longitudinal bore eX- tending therethrough, a standard rising from said plug, a switch lever ulcrumed on said standard, a float movable in said bore on the surface of said liquid, Va shanl; connecting said float with said lever, and a binding post carried by said plug in the path of movement of said lever, whereby when the oat is lowered the lever will engage the post to close a circuit and the rising of the oat will disengage said lever and break the circuit.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a shell having an expansible duid therein, a plug of insulating material mounted in one end of said shell and having a bore extendingl longitudinally therethrough with a cone-shaped recess in its inner end merging into said bore, a switch lever carried by said float, a binding post mounted on said insulated plug, in the path of movement of said lever, circuit wires connected with said lever and post, and an adjustable fluid displacingV element mounted in said plug.

ERNEST H. RUEDIGER. Witnesses: i H. A. BRANDES, Y

A. M. BRANDT. 

